Walk the Streets
by JinSun
Summary: Percabeth modern story. This is M for later scenes. Comment, and enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello fellow demigods! As of now I have a new laptop, so uploading will be easier, but not guaranteed to be quicker. Sucks for you. Anyway, this story is lemony, and I don't own the characters, and blah blah blah. Big thanks to ****Percabeth4ever1775**** for helping come up with the story and forming the plot! As always, leave a comment below, and enjoy!**

** WeAreOlympus?ref=hl**

The streets were always cold. Spring, summer; it didn't matter. Just cold, and with it, depression. Aching, throbbing depression that made sore every fiber of her being.

But what could she expect? Walking the streets was cold work. How could she find warmth in a place where none was given? She wasn't supposed to feel happy. Just cold. And alone. Always alone. That was the worst. Not the cold, nor the soreness she felt from sunrise to sunrise, nor the abuse she received from those that paid well. It was always the loneliness. The knowledge that going back to her apartment offered no comfort. She had no friends—they had left her after her jump to escorting—and she had no family—they disowned her around the same time.

That was her life. Get up, get dressed. Go to her corner. Work. Go home. That was her good day. That was without getting beaten, without waking up afraid you were being raped. It didn't happen often, but what's often when you fear for your life every waking moment? It's all relative. And nothing would change. Except for yesterday.

He came into her life like a nor-easter. Uncalled, unexpected, and completely unique. He was the very embodiment of perfect. Sea-green eyes, black hair like ocean waves, and a small, sad smile that reminded her of better times despite itself. He was kind, in a suppressed way, but that was to be expected in her line of business. It wasn't often that someone was truly sincere, and after all that she'd been through, that was what Annabeth valued most.

Of course, she didn't know that at first.

It was late in the afternoon. She had been walking her usual corner, just a little off Central Park West and West 108th street. It was a good location: not too far north into Harlem where escorting would be even more dangerous, yet not too close to midtown, a place she considered home. Her own apartment, a dinky little flat packed in with all the others, was right off of East 105th street. The best way to forget about what she was, was to live on the other side of town.

The day had been slow. Only several people, mostly old men who wanted to do obscene things to her, pulled up. She denied them all. Better to not get in the car with people who probably spend most of their social security money on roofies. But then a small, deep blue car stopped about a block away. Annabeth wouldn't have thought anything of it, except for the fact that the man who stepped out of the car was handsome by any standards. Maybe it was her lack of desirable men that wanted to hire her, or maybe he really had looked that good that day, but whatever the case, she soon found herself staring.

The next thing she knew he was walking straight at her. His face now masked by a dark hoodie pulled low over his head, the man strolled cautiously towards her. Annabeth's heart was racing. _How could he not be walking towards her? Had he seen her staring? Was he just happening to walk in my direction?_ _No, _she thought. _No one would walk this way unless they knew what they wanted. I'm leaning in the entrance to an alley. No one would go this way._ _Was he going to ask for her services?_

At last the mysterious man stopped less than a foot away. His face was still obscured, but she could tell that underneath was a ruggedly attractive guy. He wore black-blue jeans and a pair of black converse. Pretty typical for a guy his age. She soon realized that several moments had passed, long after a greeting should have been made.

Annabeth put on her working face. "Well? You want a hot date or not?" she asked cockily. That wasn't her at all, but it's what kept the money rolling in.

The stranger however, seemed less enthusiastic. "I'm just looking for someone to be with. It doesn't have to be you, but I need someone."

She gave him a strange look. "What do you mean? You want to fuck right?"

He gave her a sad look. "No. I just want company. Can you deliver, or should I move onto the next one?"

"Listen bud," she started. "I don't care what you want, but let me warn you, the price isn't going down. Not for you, or any other puppy-eyed guy in this town. Capiche?"

"Yea yea, whatever," he replied. "Hop in, but don't make it to obvious all right? Pull your coat shut."

"Whatever you say."

The ride there was much more interesting than she could have anticipated. Usually, the guys who picked her up drove north-east towards Harlem or the East River. He was clearly not the usual customer. The two of them rode in silence down Central Park West, and turned onto West 63rd street. That wasn't exactly the poorest place ever.

He parked his car on the side and immediately got out. _What now? Was she supposed to just follow him wherever he went? Did he live here?_

"I'm on the seventh floor," he muttered.

He seemed to be embarrassed that he lived there. Annabeth couldn't have cared less where he lived, so long as she was paid in full. So the guy was rich and he owned an apartment on Central Park West. Who cared?

The downstairs lobby was small, but lavishly furnished. Only a few couches were freely laid out before a large flat screen. Two elegant chandeliers gently swayed above their heads as they kept walking. A security guard sat outside the elevator, tapping away on a laptop.

"Since when do security guards get computers?" she asked.

"Since I said they could," he said as if that cleared up everything.

"Uhh, okay," she responded. _What the heck did that even mean?_

The elevator doors parted revealing a large mirrored compartment. Wooden railings were bolted to the side, and Annabeth leaned against one, her arms crossed in front of her chest. She looked at the keypad and noticed that there were only ten floors. He lived on the top, possibly in a penthouse. It was typical that nicer apartments had larger rooms on the top floor, and judging from his attitude, clothing, and car, it was pretty likely that he had one.

A soft ding signaled that they had reached their destination. Once again, the doors slowly opened. What lay beyond those doors however, was completely unexpected. Instead of a hallway, with several doors on either side, she found herself stepping into a small circular room, with only one door directly in front of her. The walls were painted a light grey-blue, and there was a single vase on a small wooden table holding the most beautiful flower she'd ever seen. Its fragrance was surprisingly strong for its size.

"What is that flower?" she asked, the wonder clear in her tone.

"Moonlace," he said.

"Where's it from?" she continued. "I've never seen a flower like that before."

"It's a long story," he replied. "It's better not to talk about it."

If possible, he seemed to become a little more depressed when she brought the flower to his attention. If it had such bad memories attached to it, as Annabeth assumed it did, why keep it around at all?

The door to the single room opened. It was dark at first, as his lights were off, but once he opened some of the blinds, she was completely taken aback by the stunning beauty of his apartment. Blue was his favorite color; that much was clear. There was grey carpeting at first entry, and beyond that…

It was too much to take in at once. Everything was modern. The kitchen, complete with a blue marble floor and granite counters, was kept simple and clean. The living room contained an enormous entertainment stand that divided the room between a low coffee table with sofas, and a full sized bar with a pool table close by. The most stunning aspect of it all was the actual architectural layout. His entire apartment was one enormous circle, with a smaller one in the middle that could only be the elevator room that she had just exited. The view was fantastic. The entire south-west side of his apartment was composed of windows, and from it you could see the familiar skyline. Annabeth didn't know why, but she loved it. She could only imagine what the other apartments looked like.

"How many are on this floor?" she asked.

"Just one," he casually answered. "Coffee or tea?"

"Uhh, tea please. But wait, you mean to tell me that you rent the entire tenth floor of this apartment?"

"No," he replied. "Biscuits?"

"I'm not very hungry, thanks though. If you don't rent it, who does?" Her curiosity was climbing. This was clearly a very expensive place.

"No one. I own it, not rent it. Actually I own the entire apartment, but enough of that. Would you like anything else to eat?"

"What? Oh, no thanks. What do you mean, 'enough of that?' You own a whole building. You must be wealthier than you look."

He sighed in response. Clearly he was used to answering all these kinds of questions, and he seemed to be sick of it. "Once again, you make assumptions. I own this building because it's where I live. I also own most of the floors on the Empire State Building, and several ones further downtown. I rent them out. But please, let's not discuss business. I'm not in the mood."

Annabeth's mind was racing. _How could he own that many buildings and still live in some apartment? Granted it was nice, but he should have a mansion somewhere. _"Okay then," she said. It wouldn't be good if she forgot why she was here. After all, this person probably thought nothing of her. He just wanted company.

"So," she continued. "You have a name?"

"Percy," he called from the kitchen. "Percy Jackson." He walked in carrying a platter of pastries and biscuits, and in his other hand, two steaming hot mugs of tea. He handed her a cup and then sat down on one of the nearby sofas.

That was when she noticed her tea. "Why is it blue?"

"Oh, sorry," he apologized. "That one's mine." He handed her the other cup. "Hope you like earl grey."

Actually, earl grey was Annabeth's favorite kind. It reminded her of home.

Percy sat looking out the window into the city. His tousled hair a mess above his hypnotizing green eyes. He seemed to have taken off his hoodie in the kitchen. Under, he wore a plain orange t-shirt that barely fit his arms. They were well muscled, probably from going to some gym he owned, and well-tanned, which could have been from anything. Once more, Annabeth caught herself staring.

"So what is it that you want to do?" she queried. Often times, rich guys would look for ways to spend their money, even if it was on something they didn't actually want.

"What's your name," he asked, completely ignoring her question.

When escorting, she always used an alias, that way, no one could track her after they departed. "Silena."

"Silena what?"

"Dare."

"Well Ms. Dare, please, have a seat." He motioned to the couch opposite of him and the coffee table.

She sat down, making special care to keep her legs crossed. Several moments passed without interruption, then she restated her question.

"What is it that you want though? No one has ever asked for what you're asking for, and I feel rather uncomfortable"

The sadness returned, and he looked at her with a pair of eyes that could kill. "Well, to be completely honest," Percy started. "I simply want company. I'm known throughout all of New York as one of the most successful business men in the world, and yet here I am, alone and depressed. So I've brought you here to do exactly what I've begun to hate: talk business. I'm willing to pay you an enormous portion of money, not including what it will cost to feed, clothe, and support you, to have you live in this very apartment with me, essentially forever. All debts, loans, or any other financial issues would be paid off in full. You would never have to buy a single thing ever again, but what I ask in return, you must abide by. I only want company; sex is not on the table," he finished.

Shock is not a strong enough word to describe how Annabeth felt at that moment. At first she thought it was a joke, possibly a prank that he was filming, but after closer examination, and considering how he'd brought her into his own place, she scratched that idea. _Why would anyone in their right mind want me? _she thought. _Is he in his right mind?_

Annabeth couldn't see how he wouldn't be sane. After all, he did act mostly normal, except for his strange fascination with blue, and his obvious depression.

"So what will it be?" Percy asked.

"Well…"

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, thanks for all the positive feedback! I really liked how the last chapter turned out, so I will definitely continue writing this story. The lemon chapters will be light lemons, so nothing too dark, and they'll come later. For now, fluff. Anyways, leave a comment/suggestion below, and thanks for reading!**

Percy stopped her. "That's fine, don't make a decision now. It's best if you sleep on it. That way your answer will be true." He knew that if she gave him an answer now, it couldn't possibly be true. The prospect of no financial responsibilities would overpower any inhibitions she might be feeling. "For now, let's just enjoy the view."

Annabeth turned to look out the window. "I don't know what to say. Why would you want me of all people? I'm a street walker. A hooker. The scum of the city. There are millions of other more eligible women. They're prettier, wealthier, and probably smarter. You don't want me. You don't know what I am."

A small smile crossed his lips. "Now you and I both know that's not necessarily true. Sure, you're an escort. Sure, there are plenty of other women. That's not what I'm looking for. I've passed you several times before, and I've taken a good look at the way you behave. When you're with a customer, I see that you change, but when alone, I see only the pain. I know you have no desire to do what you do."

Annabeth was on the verge of tears. "Do you think anyone wants to do things like that?" she said, her voice thick with emotion. "People like me do what they have to do because that's what we know."

Percy watched a small helicopter land on the roof of a nearby building.

"I was seven when I ran away," she continued. "I had only the company of another girl who I found on the streets. That didn't last long though. We didn't have food, and the streets of the city are dangerous anytime of the day, especially for two young homeless girls. We looked for someone to stay with, but all we found was a young man named Luke. We lived with him until we were old enough to be bought. Until then, he kept us in his apartment, secluded from the world. He was our pimp until a few years ago when he was killed in some gang violence between Kronos and the Sons of Hermes."

He gave her an inquisitive look. "Kronos I've heard of. I was the one who lobbied the state senators to increase funding to the NYPD after the tragic incident at Mount Olympus Daycare. That gang's been wiped out, but the Sons of Hermes? I've never heard of them."

"You wouldn't have," she said, frowning. "They're the rival gang across the East in Jersey. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that the other girl Thalia and I were free. She left, and last I heard, she runs a gay bar somewhere in midtown. I wasn't as fortunate. I had to continue selling myself out, but this time, without the protection, I was much more vulnerable."

Percy merely nodded and listened. He knew that what counted most was that he was listening, and that no one would appreciate the, 'Oh you poor soul' and 'How terrible' comments. They didn't mean anything. What mattered, was listening.

"I've been raped, drugged, and beaten more times than you could count," she whispered softly. "It's a struggle just to get up in the morning, but I know that if I don't, I'll be homeless again."

Percy stood and walked to the window, looking down at the traffic below. "And you can't go to the police, because what you do is illegal."

She nodded. "That's the kind of woman you want Percy? A delinquent of the streets, hardly educated, and emotionally unstable are all things I would use to describe myself."

"Maybe so," he said. "But that's not how I would describe you. I've seen you when you've thought no one is watching. I think I have a pretty fair idea of who you are. Despite what you say, I know you're smarter than you look. That attitude on the streets left you the second we walked into this room. I can tell that you like architecture, and I can tell that you desire knowledge."

Annabeth shrugged. "So? That's hardly desirable. They're women out there who both desire knowledge and have it."

"Onto my next point," he continued, completely ignoring her again. "Although it is irrelevant, since I've said that sex is not what I'm looking for, you are, in fact, gorgeous. You just came off the streets, probably haven't had a good meal in months, and most likely suffer from you wounds, both physical and emotional, yet here you are, radiating beauty."

She blushed deeply. "Well, each to their own I suppose."

"And lastly," he finished without pause. "Why would I give two shits if you were wealthy? I've got enough money for both of us and half the city."

It was clear then that the conversation needed to be put aside. Annabeth rose. "It's time I should be leaving."

"I'll give you a ride," he said, looking for his car keys. "So, will it be home or back on the street?"

"I'd rather just go home. After all that's been said, I don't feel good enough to go back there."

Percy nodded. "What's your address?"

"410 East 105th Street."

Soon they were speeding along in his little blue car, headed for a place Percy hoped she would never have to see again. East Harlem wasn't exactly the nicest area of town, and her address was fairly close to the river, which meant that it had to smell like sewage pretty often. He could never decide which was more polluted, the Hudson or the East.

"So Silena," he started. "I—"

"Huh?" she mumbled. "Oh, never mind."

"What was that?" he asked. She seemed to be hiding something and Percy was concerned. He would need to know almost everything about her before he allowed her to stay with him, and if she was already withholding information, then maybe she wasn't the right pick.

"I have to tell you something that you may not like," she said, barely audible.

Percy frowned. "And what would that be?"

"Well," she continued. "As you can imagine, escorts can't use their real names. The men that hired us would probably follow us, and possibly rape us."

"So you're name isn't really Silena Grace?"

"No, it's not. Grace was the last name of Thalia, the girl I ran away with, and Silena was a friend of mine from long ago who passed away from poisoning."

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"Silena? She lived in Arizona. One day while she was out, a snake bit her, but she apparently didn't notice. Her parents found her dead from the bite only a couple hours later."

"Tragic," he muttered. "So what's your name then?"

She hesitated. "Annabeth."

"Annabeth what?" he asked. If there was one thing business school had taught him, it was how to be persistent. Never let your questions go unanswered.

"Chase."

"Like the credit card company?"

"Yea, just like that." She seemed to not be paying attention anymore.

"So have you ever had a Chase credit card?"

She laughed bitterly. "As if. Do I look like I've ever owned a credit card in my life? I don't even know how they work."

"Well, if you accept my offer, I can guarantee that'll be fixed."

The rest of the ride was driven in silence. Percy had nothing to say to Annabeth. There was nothing he could say. She knew what he was trying to give her, and she knew why. That was all there was to it. Now it was all up to what she wanted most.

He pulled the car to the curb, right in front of her apartment building. Both of them unclipped themselves and waited for the other to speak. Instead of saying anything, Percy pulled out his wallet. "How much do you usually charge hourly?"

"Fifty bucks, cash only."

He pulled five notes out of his wallet and handed it to her. She started to count, but stopped after the first note.

"These aren't tens; these are hundreds," she whispered.

Percy smiled for the first time. "I know. Just think of it as a parting gift in case I don't hear from you again. If you have any doubts, just call this number," he said while handing her a business card. "I hope to hear from you soon."

Annabeth opened the passenger side door and got out. Her thin skirt fluttered wildly in the wind coming off the river. "Even if my decision disappoints you tomorrow, I want you to know that I'm thankful for your offer, and," she said raising the money, "this."

"Don't tell anyone about it until you've made a choice," he finished.

"Who would I tell," she scoffed. "I haven't got any friends remember?"

Percy simply shrugged and slowly pulled out of the curb. Seeing that no one was coming from the opposite direction, he made a U-turn in the middle of the street and stole one last glimpse of her retreating form in the doorway. _Tomorrow can either mean big things, or the worst day yet, _he thought.

The trip back to his apartment was even less exciting than the drive to Annabeth's, but once home, he flopped onto his couch and stared at the ceiling high above. He was always bored in his apartment, but not because there was nothing to do, but more because his ongoing depression killed any desire to do anything. He had TVs, exercise machines, a bar, and a beautiful view of the world's greatest city. But none of that interested him. He was much too focused on Annabeth to care about the world around him.

_If she accepts my offer, then maybe I'll have a chance at having a life again. Maybe when I wake up each morning, I'll know that there is someone just across the room that cares about me. Maybe…but for now, rest. _Without changing his clothes, or getting into bed, Percy closed his eyes, and slept.

**Thanks for reading! New chapter soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**What's up demigods? My last update was a little shorter, but I wanted to sneak in a chapter that was from Percy's pov. I'll probably alternate between the two of them regularly. Sorry it took me so long though. Between work and stuff…you know. Enjoy. P.S. Sorry for all the dumb Luke and Kronos references back there. I was bored.**

She watched her alarm clock hit 7:00. Half a beep later, she was sitting on the side of her bed, completely engrossed in watching the sunrise slowly bathe the side of her building. She only had one window, but she was glad it was there. It made her depressing hovel somewhat less so, and for that, she was thankful. Annabeth rose, her long curly blonde hair tumbling over her shoulder. She brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and made herself presentable in a simple black skirt and matching boots. This wasn't her usual attire though. Normally she wore fishnet stockings with a mini-skirt and whatever top accented her body the best while dumping a gallon of bright makeup on her face. Now she was dressed more elegantly, more her, and she only applied a small measure of blush, lipstick, and eyeliner.

The reason for her change in clothing was very simple. Her old life was over, and with it, every bad memory that was attached to it, including the clothes. At least she hoped.

Late last night, after hours of drunken crying, she had called the one person who could fix her life, whether she wanted it or not. He had sounded tired, and he had asked her to repeat almost everything she said, but in the end, it was decided. He would pick her up tomorrow. At 7:30 sharp.

It hadn't taken long to pack. After all, she didn't really own anything. Annabeth's suitcase was a mess of old memories of her childhood: several pictures of her family, a picture of Thalia, and some old keepsakes that she had had for as long as she could remember. That and a few sets of clothing was all she had left. Percy had said to leave everything she didn't want where it was. He would have someone take care of it after she left.

Now she waited; her bag around her shoulders as she stood on the steps of 410 East 105th Street. It was chilly out. It was always chilly out.

Soon, the much-expected little blue car pulled up with both windows down. Percy was dressed in dark blue jeans again, this time with only a thin, small black t-shirt. His black hair seemed to never be combed. He casually opened his door and stepped out, revealing a nice pair of loafers. _He seems to love living inexpensively, despite his wealth._

He leaned against the side of his car facing Annabeth. "So. Do you have everything?"

She patted the backside of her bag. "Anything that I'll ever need."

He gave her a courteous smile and held out his arm. "Your bag ma'am."

She hesitantly gave up her only possessions. _Once a street walker, always a street walker, _she thought. _There's no way this is it. There's always a catch._

Percy opened the passenger door for her, then put her bag in the back seat after he'd sat down.

"I'm glad you made the choice you did," he said while pulling away from the curb. "I can't know how you feel, but I know it must have taken a lot of bravery to do what you did."

"Yea, as if you'd given me a choice," she scoffed. "What was I supposed to do Percy? Just say, 'Oh no, that's alright. I like getting raped?'"

He didn't respond.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you've offered to take me in, but don't expect me to warm up to you all of the sudden. I don't even know you, and on top of that, you want to 'talk,' whatever the hell that means."

Percy turned to look at her with those stunning eyes of his. "Just give it a try. If you don't like it after a week, I'll take you back to your apartment. As of now, I'm just paying the rent, so if you want it back, then it's all yours."

"So that's it then? If I don't like your company it's back on the streets? This is what I mean. There was only one choice."

"That's not true," he replied. "We both know that you came because you saw an opportunity for bettering yourself, and maybe having a friend who cared about you, but you could have easily taken the money I'd given you and asked for more in return for a visit to my house every now and then. You could have easily made yourself a deal, but you would be independent essentially."

"I didn't think of that," she muttered.

He gave her a soft smile. "Yes you did. You just didn't know it."

With that, he parked his car and grabbed her bag, leaving her alone in the passenger seat. _Maybe I do want a friend. He seems like he would make a good friend, but I can't be sure from only knowing him for less than a day. After all, I haven't had months to watch him like he did me._

Once again, she followed Percy up the apartment, stopping only to let him open the doors. This was the first time she truly observed the apartment. It was beautiful, to put it simply. Parts of it felt like home. The grey carpet, the elegant shape, but it was distorted somehow. It wasn't necessarily bad, just different.

"Where will I sleep?" she asked. It had finally dawned on her that the entire apartment lacked any rooms. It was one enormous circle, except for the bathroom which was opposite of the elevator.

"Not to worry. I'll sleep on one side of the room, you'll sleep on the other. The elevator room should be a good divider."

Annabeth eyed him warily. "I don't know. This whole arrangement seems pretty suspect."

Percy laughed. "Not to worry. If I wanted anything like that, wouldn't I have just paid for your services? Why go to all the trouble of moving you in?"

"Still…can we at least put a sheet up?"

"What? Why?" he smiled. "Do you sleep naked or something?"

She blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh."

"Sheets?"

"Sheets."

Percy pointed to where she'd be sleeping, and she began to unpack her things. There wasn't much, so the small wooden closet nest to her bed was more than enough room for her stuff.

Percy was staring at her. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why do you sleep naked?"

Once again Annabeth felt her cheeks flush. "It's kind of embarrassing."

Percy continued to stare.

_Clearly he has no inner dialogue, _she thought. "It's because…I can't afford them."

With those words Percy sprung to life and grabbed his keys. "Let's go."

"What where?" she asked, completely confused.

"One of two places. We can go to Alexander McQueen or Oscar de la Renta. I'm more of an Alexander McQueen guy, but it's all up to you."

Annabeth almost had a heart attack. Alexander McQueen was widely known as one of the most prestigious stores in the world, and it was one of the most expensive too, but Oscar de la Renta was _the_ most expensive store in the United States. _Why is he doing this for me? Why would he waste so much money on me? A single skirt at either of these stores would cost well over 1,000 dollars. Does he plan on getting my entire wardrobe there?_

"Well? I haven't got all day. Which one will it be?"

"Ale…der…ueen…" she breathed.

"What? I can't understand you when you're breathing all heavy like that."

"Alexander…McQueen…please."

"Excellent. It's not too far of a drive. If my memory serves me right, it's just straight downtown from our apartment."

_Our apartment._

This was all going too fast for Annabeth. Just yesterday she was an escort of the streets. She had no life, no future, no past worth mentioning. Every day was like that. Now it was all different. She shared an apartment with one of the most powerful businessmen in America, and she was about to spend thousands of dollars on something as simple as clothing. But most importantly, she now had a friend. Now it wasn't so dark and lonely.

"Why are treating me like this?"

Percy looked confused. "Like what?"

"Like royalty."

"I guess now that you've accepted my offer, I can tell you my reasoning behind it all."

They stepped back into the car and sped off towards the store.

"Like I said before. I'd been keeping an eye on you for almost a month now. At first I just wanted to know what kind of person you were. I saw the hurt and loneliness on your face whenever you thought no one was looking. I realized I saw that same face every day of the week. So I thought, why not her? As for why I wanted an answer to my offer so soon…"

Annabeth frowned. "What? Why'd you trail off like that?"

"Huh? Oh sorry…I do that sometimes. It's hard for me to pay attention for very long. Anyway, I knew that if you accepted my offer, I couldn't let you slip back into your old ways somehow. As I'm sure you know, many of your other, ah, coworkers are in that career field because they desire attention. I had to make sure you were not one of those people, so I gave you a test, and you passed."

"So…if I had been hesitant to give up my life as it was, you would have taken back your offer?"

"Yep, but the very fact that you're here right now means that you really did hate your life. You hated it enough to move in with a complete stranger."

"A wealthy complete stranger," she corrected.

Percy gave her a wry smile. "But of course."

Soon she was walking from the car to the front doors of a classy looking building. The inside was cozy, giving the store a warm sort of feeling. Most of the merchandise available was for women.

"Where should we start?" Percy asked. "How about shoes?"

"Umm…okay…" she mumbled.

Much later, after what seemed like an hour spent deciding what shoes she should wear, they moved onto leggings and skirts.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but is it going to take that long for each thing we get here?"

Percy let out a warm, dazzling laugh. "No, the people here take what they do to the utmost level of perfection. Getting past the shoes is always the hardest part. They argue with everything you say and measure you at least three times. After that though it really does go rather smoothly."

Annabeth looked down at her pair of velvet platform sandals. They were pitch black and looked extremely expensive. "Why does nothing in this store have price tags?"

"They don't need to," he chuckled. "Anyone who shops here knows that anything they buy is going to be over 500 at the very least."

"Oh," she replied.

Percy handed her a pair of grey stained glass leggings. "How about these?"

"Well, I do like grey," she admitted.

Annabeth took the pair over to the changing room and tried them on. What she saw in the reflection shocked her. She could usually look good in just about everything, but when put in a pair of 1,000 dollar leggings, she couldn't help but stare dumbfounded at herself.

"Wow…" she whispered. "I am beautiful."

Then she laughed. It was loud and completely obnoxious, but it was the first time she had laughed in ages, and it felt great. She left the changing room and walked back out into the store.

Immediately the lady who'd been giving her 'advice' swooped out of nowhere. She had Annabeth turn in circles and walk from one end of the store to the other.

"I love it," she purred. "Now for a top…"

As soon as she had wandered off, Annabeth approached Percy.

"This feels kind of…different…"

"Good different?" he asked.

"I think so," she said.

"Try this one on," the lady said, revealing a white blouse. "And put those shoes on too."

She nodded and took her things to the other room. Standing before the mirror, dressed in some of the most expensive clothes on earth, Annabeth, for the first time in many years, finally felt like herself. The grey, black, and white clothes seemed to express herself: smart, beautiful, and 100% dangerous.

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Update Chapter 1

Wassup? So I'm not sure if this is even allowed on FanFiction, but I really just want to put in an update chapter, which may sound pretty fucking horrible, but whatever. You don't have to read it, but you can't bitch about slow uploads if you don't, so you decide. Anyway, for starters:

I really like writing Walk the Streets, but unfortunately I'm in college, which means there isn't much time for that. I've almost completed chapter 4, and it should be up within a week, so lookout for that. Also, I said I'd be writing back and forth between Annabeth and Percy's POV, but screw that. Why? Cause I looooooooooooooove writing in Annabeth's POV.

As for my series Trading Places, I will eventually get around to continuing it. I know I left off on a rather hot cliff hanger, but writing that particular story is a challenge for me, as I naturally want to sneak in plot, but I have to constantly remind myself that it's mostly straight smut. Don't worry, it'll be updated within the month, and definitely before The House of Hades comes out.

The rest of this chapter will be personal notes about anything that's going on with my life:

For all you anime freaks out there, have any of you seen Campione! (It's spelled with an exclamation mark)? If not, I highly, and I mean highly, recommend it. It reminds me of PJO, mostly percabeth. The main heroine is a blonde who's basically an Italian version of Annabeth. The guy basically looks, and kinda acts, like Percy if he were an anime character. The series is also a light novel.

Also, I've created a forum (website) for several different anime/mangas. It's titled Sekirei Forums, and we have boards for Sekirei, Yuruyuri, Rosario + Vampire, Highschool DXD, and Campione! I'd love to see you guys there! The address is, (without the spaces):

Sekireiforums. Boards. Net

Lastly, some qualifications for dating me:

You must be at least 17 years old.

You like anime, Game of Thrones, or geek books.

You're purty.

(Optional) You're Annabeth.

Lol. But seriously, I'm all alone. Talk to me people. Hmm…It's 2:12 a.m…I should probably sleep now. Gnight, and get dat booty demi-gods!


	5. Chapter 4

**Wassup! Feel free to leave a comment/suggestion below, and thanks for reading assholes. Jk I love you guys. Go follow me on twitter lemonfluffitier. I make funny comments about shit I hate.**

Annabeth once again stood next to Percy as the sales lady hurried about her. This time, she was clothed in a white silk blouse, grey stained-glass patterned leggings, and black platform sandals.

The lady spun her around one more time. "It's perfect. What do you think?"

It was the first time she had asked her opinion the entire time there, but it wasn't a hard question. "I love it. How much is it?"

The woman spun around and briskly walked over to her clipboard. "Let's see…ah yes…uh huh…good. That'll be $2,870. Will you be paying with credit, debit, or cash?"

Annabeth whitened. _$2,870?! For a pair of leggings, a shirt, and some shoes?!_

"Oh, well you see—"

"Credit," Percy interrupted.

She whirled her head around at him. "Are you crazy?" she whispered. "Who has that kind of money? I didn't even ask for this!"

"Relax, its fine. We won't be getting all your stuff here. I just figured that it's probably been a while since you've had anyone do anything nice for you, and this is basically all I'm capable of. The rest of your clothes will be relatively normal. Good?"

She shook her head. "Why can't we just get all my clothes normal priced?"

"We just spent over an hour listening to her criticize every angle of your body and analyze every stitch of fabric in your clothes. That's why. It's too late to go back."

Annabeth looked ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he laughed.

"For being ungrateful."

"You don't have to apologize. I'd consider you ungrateful if you _didn't _complain about the price."

With that, the two left the store and headed back to his car. Since they'd been in the store, it had gotten much sunnier. The cold didn't seem as intense, although she could feel it on her back, but overall it was a nice day.

"Now to Macy's," Percy said, interrupting her thoughts. "They'll have everything else we're looking for."

"That's still pretty fancy," she complained. "I haven't done anything for you, yet you've done everything for me. What will I possibly ever be able to do to repay you? How can I bear that kind of debt?"

Percy gave her a sarcastic smile. "Easy, be my friend."

Annabeth looked up, clearly socked at his request. "Be—"

Percy stared ahead.

"—your friend?"

"Sure," he laughed. "I've already told you, that's why you're here."

She frowned. Caution was something she lived, or rather had lived, with every day of her life. She never knew who she could trust, yet Annabeth didn't feel any negative motivation in his words or actions. She could usually tell when she was being played a fool. It had happened so many times before, but this time…

"You coming or not?"

She hadn't realized that he'd already parked the car and was now standing only a couple block from Macy's. The classic patterned road in front of the super store shone brightly in the sun. Hundreds of people went about their business in the area, and the entrance to the store was bustling with customers.

Percy glanced at Annabeth, who was still trying to catch up. "You ready?"

She nodded.

Soon they had an entire trunk full of clothes for her. They were all fairly casual, most of them being jeans and a variety of tops. Percy had also bought her several pairs of shoes, along with a large amount of other necessities.

Finally they made it to the register. Percy pulled out his wallet, ready to pay.

The woman at the counter rang up several bags worth of clothes. "That'll be 5,320 dollars. Would you like to pay with check or credit?"

"Credit," he quickly replied.

"And would you like someone to help with your bags? We charge an additional 10 dollars, but it would help with the walk."

"No, that's fine," Annabeth jumped in. "We can handle our own bags from here."

"Okay, have a good day!" the sales lady said.

Percy raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" she asked. "I don't like people doing things for me. It's bad enough you're here."

He laughed. "Fine, but you're carrying half."

She cracked a small smile. "Well of course. It was my idea in the first place."

In no time they were headed back to his apartment, slowly moving along with traffic. It was rush hour by then, so they essentially only moved a couple yards every minute or so. The ride there wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Usually, their conversations would be brief and uncomfortable, but for the first time, Annabeth felt like she could really open up to him. He was relaxed, and his mood seemed to be rubbing off on her.

_What is going on, _she thought. _I've just met this guy, yet here I am telling him about my father, and all the problems I had gone through as a kid. What am I doing?_

"Percy?" she asked,

"Yea?"

"What was your childhood like?"

He shrugged. "It was what it was. My mother and I used to be pretty poor. We lived in east central park, and it was a struggle juts to pay the monthly bills. She worked at a candy shop, so as a kid that was always fun, but it was still hard. My father passed at sea before I was born, so my mom remarried. Unfortunately, she married the richest guy she could find, who also turned out to be a complete jerk."

"Oh…" she wisely commented. "So that's why you're so wealthy?"

"Yes and no," he replied. "I did receive a large amount of money when my step-father died, however I built up most of what I own today from the money he willed to me."

"Did you ever go to college?" she asked, completely engrossed in his story.

Percy made a face. "Yea, but it wasn't for me. I went just long enough to get a degree, then I quit."

"Really?" she asked. "I'd love to go to college. I've just never had the means."

Percy glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"I've always had this thing for architecture, and creating things," she continued. "If I could go, I'd probably never leave."

"Have you ever had any schools in mind?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I don't even know what schools offer what. I have no education past high school, and my grades even then were only average. It was hard to concentrate during those years, especially with all that happened to Thalia and myself."

"Still," Percy said. "You shouldn't give it up. You never know what could happen."

"True, I did meet you, and that was the farthest thing from what I ever expected."

He smiled. "See? Give it some time. Anyway we're here."

Annabeth looked out the passenger window. They were back in front of his apartment, the blue car pulled up sloppily next to the curb.

Percy called back to her. "Help me with the bags."

Annabeth found it odd that no one even glanced at them as they walked into the room carrying several bulging bags of clothes.

"Is this normal for you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Not at all," he said with a confused look on his face. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason whatsoever," she replied a little too quickly.

Percy gave her a confused look, but kept walking.

Once again Annabeth was taken up the elevator into the lavish apartment. She set her share of bags onto the floor, and sat down on the edge of her bed. It was around noon, so a good amount of light streamed through the windows, giving the room a warm feeling.

"Are you hungry?" Percy asked.

She nodded. "A little bit, but I can wait, so don't rush or anything."

"No, it's not a problem," he continued. "We've been out all day, and you're probably tired, so why don't you make yourself at home. I'll throw some lunch together."

"You can cook?" she asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Well, no not really," he said. "But I can handle most basic things. I was thinking we could have some pizza. Does that work?"

Annabeth nodded. "Of course."

Percy smiled. "You like anything special on your pizza?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Do you have anything against blueberries?"

She gave him a confused look. "Huh?"

He laughed. "As I'm sure you're aware, I use blue in everything. I like to incorporate blue foods as much as I can into my diet, so would it be a problem if I put blueberries on the pizza?"

"Oh, uh…no, I guess not," she replied.

"Good, because I probably would have whether you wanted it or not," he said while laughing.

Soon enough, the pizza was in the oven. Annabeth sat on one of the couches that looked out into central park. It was an amazing view; the entire reservoir clearly visible, and the eastern skyline marked perfectly in the bright blue sky. Percy sat down on the other end of the couch, his feet propped up on a coffee table. Looking at him, after a long day of walking around, he seemed happier than he did before. When she met him, he looked depressed, almost like her, but now…something was different. Percy looked happier, and the bags under his eyes weren't as prominent.

_Ding!_

Percy stood up. "The pizza's done. Stay here I'll bring it over."

He brought over the steaming hot pizza and set it on the table. It looked fairly strange, with random splotches of gooey blueberries, and melted cheese inconsistently spread around it. Percy either didn't notice or didn't care. Annabeth didn't mind though. She was lucky to get any food at all.

"It's not bad," she said, trying a piece. "You wouldn't think that this would be edible."

He shrugged. "I don't care either way."

_I knew it, _she thought to herself. _Maybe he doesn't have taste buds. I was being nice, but this is horrible._

Percy ended up having most of the pie, while Annabeth only had a slice and a half. By then it was midday, so they spent the next couple of hours putting away her clothes and organizing her area. At one point, Percy had called someone and asked them to pick up some extra things that she would need later tonight, and only several minutes later, a mysterious guy arrived holding a bag of toiletries.

At last, night arrived, and after the long day of doing errands and setting things up, Annabeth was able to look forward to sleeping peacefully for the first time in months.

**Next chapter soon! Comment and review!**


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